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Wells Grey

What is There to do?

What is there to do in Clearwater, B.C.?

What is there to see?

What can we do?

Those questions or some variant of them are often asked by our guests. Stay for days and be kept busy all the time, because there are so many things to see and do. We’ve been visiting Clearwater for 15 years and lived here for 3 and haven’t exhausted the list yet! Explore on your own, as a family, as a group or as part of an organized tour. Clearwater has it all.

Wells Gray Park

We would be remiss if we didn’t start with the pristine wilderness of Wells Grey Park. A big plus over the national parks is that there are no visitor fees.

Wells Gray Park is half a million + hectares of pristine wilderness with waterfalls roaring off of lava cliffs, hiking trails, wildlife, streams, rivers, glaciers, and more. Evidence of more types of volcanic activity are found here than any other place on earth. Volcanologists come from around the world to study here.

Take a flight over Wells Gray Park and see the area as few people ever have. Scenic flights can be arranged.

While the Park is indeed first class, there is so much more to do in the area.

Other Things to do in the Clearwater Area

What is there to do in Clearwater, B.C.? Other than enjoying one of the world’s best pristine wilderness parks? Lots!

Ride the wild waters. World class white water rafting and calmer float trips are available on the Clearwater and North Thompson River. We are fortunate enough to have three rafting companies to choose from.

Take a western trail ride. Enjoy the majesty of our wilderness on the back of a horse. From the absolute novice to the experienced trail hand we have somewhere here for you to ride.

CLEARWATER SPRING

Spring is here … okay Clearwater Spring. That means the calendar shows spring as being here and winter has almost fully retreated. There is still snow in the high country and some down here in the valley but it is rapidly melting. If the weather stays as forecast the valley should be relatively snow free in the next week to ten days.

Our waterfalls are spectacular any time of the year. They have a special beauty in late spring and early summer. Water levels are at their peak in that season increasing stare volumes over all the falls. Clearwater Spring has its own brand of beauty.

Buds are popping out on some of the trees. In areas where the snow has left things are greening up. Tulips and other bulbs are peeking out at the side of Valley Hideaway Guest House. Soon more perennials will show and by the end of May the garden will be in.

BIRDS AND WILDLIFE

The spring birds are returning in droves. Once again the back yard is filled with the songs of robins, nuthatches, chickadees and more. In the evening sky you can often here the honk of the Canada Geese or flights of mallard flying overhead. Some will nest here and other will travel many hundreds of miles further north before settling in. The drumming of woodpeckers can be heard as they begin searching for insects that nestled under the tree bark for the winter.

The wildlife is beginning to move around, by next month bears will be visible. You can catch sight of bears any time in the spring, summer and fall, but the prime season is mid Mid through June. In the back country you can see both grizzly bear and black bears. Black bears are black by name but come in a wide range of colour varieties including black, brown, cinnamon, black with white chests and more.

Black Bear

Remember that bears are wild animals and deceptively fast. Be sure to take any photos from safely inside your vehicles and do not approach bears, particularly cubs or mothers with cubs. While bear attacks are relatively uncommon, they are nasty when they do happen. Stay safe.

In addition to spotting bears keep a sharp lookout for a wide range of game animals both large and small. The North Thompson Valley and Wells Grey Park play host to a large number of animals. Watch for moose, deer, coyotes, foxes, wolves, cougars and more. Also be on the lookout for squirrels, marmots, weasels, beavers, muskrats, rabbits and more.

Volcanoes and Waterfalls

VOLCANOES

Did you know that experts believe that Wells Gray has more types of volcanic phenomena than any other area of earth? It has often been called the “Land of Fire and Ice”.

When travelling in the park be sure to look at the many volcanic features. You can see columnar basalt, rock rodeo, volcanic pillows and more. Pyramid Mountain is a Tuya (sometimes spelled Thuya) — a volcano that formed under the ice of a glacier. You can see Pyramid Mountain from the Green Mountain Lookout or hike in.

Forged by glacial ice and volcanic activity, the Clearwater River Valley is renowned world wide for its waterfalls. The steep drops between the edge of the lava flows and the Clearwater River far below for incredible viewing. There are more than 40 named waterfalls in Wells Grey Park. All of them are beautiful and some of them are simply stunning.

WATERFALLS

Check out Helmcken Falls, one of the highest free falling waterfalls in Canada. This incredible falls is more than 2.5 times the height of Fiagara Falls. according to the world waterfall database, “Helmcken Falls is the centerpiece to Wells Gray Provincial Park, one of the most powerful waterfalls on earth”

Just upstream, from Helmcken, Dawson Falls is more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) wide and has been called little Niagara by many.

At Spahats Falls, there are integrative signs detailing much of the unique volcanic and glacial history of the area. Spahats is one of the most accessible falls and is a wonder to see.

Hike into Moul Falls and stand beneath a 40 foot waterfall. Moul Falls, though not quite as high as some of the other local waterfalls, is one of the best kept secrets of the Clearwater Valley.

Check our local Visitor Centre for maps and directions to some of these fascinating geological features.